Compass Box Whiskey

Compass Box is an independent Scotch whisky blending house known for doing things differently, from its blends to its art-led labels. Every year, its Hedonism release is fronted by a new Muse. For 2026, that Muse was Inverness-born actor and filmmaker Karen Gillan, the first known face ever to take on the role, captured in a live-action portrait by artist Emma Hack.

It was a release with real cultural weight: just 13,126 bottles worldwide, an exclusive pre-order window with Master of Malt from 24 February, and a general launch on 1 March. Compass Box needed an email programme that could carry the story from first reveal through to sell-through, and brought us in to own it end to end: the words, the design and the build in Klaviyo.

The brief came with a clear tension to solve. Hedonism is a luxury whisky, and the emails needed to feel every bit as considered as the bottle. But Compass Box has never been a stuffy brand, and this campaign in particular was about something warmer and bolder: Scottish heritage, female creativity, and the Hedonism woman brought to life. It needed to speak directly to women, without the tired clichés that so often come with "whisky for women".

Voice and Copy

We built the tone of voice around one idea: hedonism as self-possession, not excess. The copy treated pleasure as something you choose rather than something you earn. Sentences were short and confident, a little playful, sensory where it mattered, and never over-explained. We let the tasting notes do the luxurious work (clove-spiced fruitcake, dates, toffee, coffee and cocoa-infused cream) and kept everything around them lively and human.

We leaned into Karen's own story: her Highland roots, her love of sharing whisky and stories with friends, and what it meant to her to become part of the bottle's history. Celebrity was the way in; the craft and the artwork were the reason to stay.

The Build

We built every email, template and flow directly in Klaviyo, tested across email clients and devices and checked in dark mode. We set up segmentation so each audience got the message that suited them, from existing Hedonism collectors and engaged Compass Box subscribers to new sign-ups drawn in by the Karen Gillan announcement, and scheduled sends around the pre-order and general release milestones.